Allardyce Braced for Backlash from Spurs after Their Week to Forget; West Ham Boss Fears That Shell-Shocked Hosts Are Anxious to Prove a Point in Their Quarter-Final Tonight. by Giuseppe Muro

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Byline: Giuseppe Muro

SAM ALLARDYCE has warned West Ham to expect a reaction from Tottenham following their drubbing at the hands of Liverpool and the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.

West Ham travel to White Hart Lane in the Capital One Cup quarter-final tonight with Spurs looking to put their troubles behind them with the 5-0 rout on Sunday followed by Villas-Boas's dismissal less than 24 hours later.

Tim Sherwood has been placed in temporary charge and Allardyce is wary that the hosts will be determined to respond against West Ham.

"Just from the Liverpool defeat there will be a reaction from the professional level of the players they have got," said Allardyce. "They are obviously proud professionals, that is why they play at that level. They will want to put it right and you can also see a reaction from players when a manager is sacked."

Sherwood, who will be assisted by Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey, has only had two days to prepare for the game and Allardyce is not expecting big changes in the way Tottenham play. He said: "I maybe expect a change in personnel but I do not expect a change of system.

"There might be one or two players brought in from out of the cold, whether it is someone like Emmanuel Adebayor or Jermain Defoe, who has not played as much as he would have liked. But any team that they play will be a formidable task with the size of the squad and the quality Tottenham have."

West Ham won 3-0 at White Hart Lane in October but have managed only one Premier League victory since and are only one point outside the relegation zone. A lack of goals -- only 13 in the League this season -- has been an issue for Allardyce's side but he believes their defensive record provides them with a good platform to turn things around, starting tonight.

West Ham have kept eight clean sheets this season and Allardyce said: "We have a great footing to start turning this around. But we have to do it very quickly. We have the same amount of clean sheets that Everton so it does not take a genius to know what our problem is.

"We have been a few goals short of what would have been a very good position in the League. …